NAAB Accreditation Information and Resources
National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
In the United States, most registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year term, an eight-year term with conditions, or a two-year term of continuing accreditation, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established education standards.
Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Department of Architecture offers the following NAAB accredited degree programs:
Master of Architecture (non-pre-professional degree + 105 graduate credit hours on the NAAB scale)
Note: this is equivalent to 140 units in the GSD course unit calculations.
Master of Architecture AP (pre-professional degree + 75 graduate credit hours on the NAAB scale)
Note: this is equivalent to 100 units in the GSD course unit calculations.
Next accreditation visit for the MArch: 2027
Access to NAAB Conditions and Procedures
Conditions for Accreditation, 2020 Edition
Conditions for Accreditation in effect at the time of the last visit, 2014
Procedures for Accreditation, 2020 Edition
Procedures for Accreditation in effect at the time of the last visit, 2015
Accreditation Reports and Related Documents
Most recent Architecture Program Report, 2017
Most recent Visting Team Report, 2018
Most recent NAAB decision letter, 2018
2022 NAAB Annual Report
Links to MArch Program Admissions and Support
Admissions Policies and Procedures
Diversity, Equity and Belonging
Professional Licensure
The Master of Architecture (MArch) program, combined with practical experience, leads to professional licensure from the National Council of Architecture Registration Board. Harvard has not determined whether the program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in any state other than Massachusetts.